COVINGTON, Ga. — As the Alcovy Tigers are in the first bye week of the 2023 campaign, they sit at 1-1 overall. Before the season started, head coach Spencer Fortson and offensive coordinator Chris Ray were optimistic that Alcovy’s strongest unit was the offensive line. 

“We believe that our offensive line will be our strongest unit that can help carry this team due to all of them having experience from last year’s season,” Fortson said.

All five starters have returned for the Tigers from the 2022 squad. And, it is expected for Alcovy to return four of the five in 2024, too. 

The group consists of juniors Parker Gassmann, Eric Williams, Jacob Crockeet and Jamorris Thrasher and the lone senior Giovannie Wilson. 

Fortson and Ray deemed that junior tackles Gassmann and Dowell of the entire unit have embraced the leadership role of the unit. 

Dowell highlighted the close connection each player in the unit has. 

“Nothing should get in our way since we have built our bond since last year with the five of us already having playing time and hanging outside of football,” Dowell said. 

Developing strong relationships with one another is something Dowell as well as Gassmann puts an emphasis on in the offensive line room. 

To help accomplish that, the players will have a friendly game of basketball or simply go out to eat. 

“We are all like brothers so getting that bond to be able to flourish was our goal coming into the season,” Gassmann said.  “And we also put in the extra workouts over the offseason to help throughout the season.”

Alcovy’s new schedule got off to the right start. The Tigers opened their season with a win against the Lithonia Bulldogs 42-19 at James R. Hallford Stadium on Aug. 18. 

In game one, Alcovy managed to rush for 313 yards in the ground game, which paid dividends in the final outcome. 

And, even though they are coming off a 54-0 defeat against rival the Newton Rams, the Tigers want to get back to what the offense did in week one. 

By doing so, the entire offensive line group has full belief that they can “take over a game.”

“If we keep this up, we will have more games like this where we outscore our opponents each time we play,” Gassmann said. “Once we start wearing down on people, we as a unit have the ability to earn the trust from our coaches to take over a game.”

Alcovy’s season resumes next week, Sept. 8 at Sharp Stadium in the final round of the Newton Cup Rivalry. The Tigers will face-off against the Eastside Eagles who faced the Rams on Sept. 1.